


Home Schooling

by yourebrilliant



Category: White Collar
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 14:38:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourebrilliant/pseuds/yourebrilliant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Peter discovers that Neal is a high school dropout he vows to do something about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Schooling

‘Neal.’

A soft hand gently stroking his hair drew Neal from a deep sleep.

‘Neal, it’s time to get up.’

‘Mom?’ he murmured, before he realised who the voice, now muffled with laughter, belonged to.

‘No, sweetie,’ El said gently, ‘it’s El.’

Neal’s eyes fluttered open, his striking blue gaze sweeping over El’s smiling face and the uncharacteristically empty bed. ‘Where’s Peter?’

El smiled warmly. ‘He’s downstairs, honey. He needs you to get dressed and come down, too.’

Neal frowned, but El had disappeared before he could question her further.

 

‘Does he always take this long to dress?’

The sound of Clinton Jones’ bemused question was enough to halt Neal in his tracks. He sighed, if Jones was there his Saturday had just been conscripted by the FBI. Again.

‘You have no idea,’ Peter responded heavily.

‘Oh, honey,’ El chastised gently. Peering over the railing, Neal could see her bustling in and out of the kitchen with coffee mugs. ‘I think it’s nice that he wants to look good.’ Neal smiled, that sounded like an entrance cue to him.

‘Thank you, Elizabeth,’ he said, swinging dramatically into the living room, ‘you’re a woman of impeccable taste.’

‘You’re welcome, sweetie,’ El said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek and draw him into the dining room where, he could now see, Jones and Peter were joined by Diana and, strangest of all, Mozzie.

‘What’s goin’ on, guys?’ he asked, his wary tone reflected in the curious tilt of his eyebrows.

‘Take a seat, Neal,’ Peter said, looking unreasonably pleased with himself. El smiled at him and disappeared back into the kitchen.

‘I’ll stand, thanks,’ Neal retorted. As much as he trusted Peter, he’d seen that calculating look too many times at work and it never boded well for him.

Diana rolled her eyes. ‘Do yourself a favour, Caffrey,’ she said, crossing her arms and bracing her hip against the dining room table. ‘Sit. Down.’

Neal’s eyes widened. Eying Diana fearfully, Neal edged towards one of the dining room chairs and settled himself, after a quick nod from Mozzie reassured him.

Returning with a mug of coffee, El laughed gently. ‘Peter, stop scaring him. Neal, honey, it’s okay,’ she said, handing him his favourite mug, ‘you’re not in any trouble.’

‘Of course not,’ Peter agreed, bracing his hands on his hips as he spoke, ‘believe it or not, we’re actually trying to help you.’

‘Somehow that doesn’t reassure me as much as you seem to think it will,’ Neal retorted. ‘Help me with what?’

‘This,’ Jones said, laying out a thin brochure entitled _Preparing for the GED_. ‘You’re gonna graduate high school.’ Neal frowned at Jones, who was not hiding his amusement well.

‘The GED?’ Neal asked incredulously. ‘I’ve got five degrees!’

‘None of which are real,’ Peter reminded him.

‘Details,’ Neal pouted. ‘I’m a graduate of the school of life.’ Moz snorted approvingly.

‘We can discuss the effectiveness of the education system later,’ Peter interjected. ‘But, as far as Quantico is concerned, you have no recognised qualifications. So, if you wanna join the FBI,’ he gestured to Jones’ brochure, ‘you gotta take the GED.’

Neal’s mind raced, weighing the costs and benefits of Peter’s surprising offer. ‘And you guys are gonna help me?’

‘Only if you say “please”,’ Diana commented, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

‘ _Diana_ ,’ Peter interrupted, holding one hand up warningly before Neal could retort, ‘and Jones will be tutoring you in Social Sciences. Mr Haversham,’ here he gestured to Mozzie, who bowed in his seat, ‘will be your Science teacher.’ Peter closed his eyes and sighed heavily. ‘El will be dealing with the Language papers,’ El beamed at him and ruffled his hair, ‘and I will be helping you with Math.’

‘Quite the faculty,’ Neal commented. Peter frowned. ‘I’m joking!’ Neal cried, smiling broadly. ‘Thank you, guys, I appreciate it.’

‘Wait till we get to Chemistry,’ Mozzie said, a worrying gleam in his eyes, ‘then you’ll _really_ appreciate it.’

‘Not in my house,’ Peter clarified quickly. ‘You can appreciate science in that bunker of yours.’

‘Laboratory,’ Mozzie corrected.

‘Storage area,’ Neal commented.

‘Semantics.’ Mozzie shrugged.

‘Oh, that’s my area,’ El interrupted, smiling with broad good humour. ‘I’m trying to decide on our class project. What d’you think about _Pride and Prejudice_?’

Neal winked at her. ‘Think I preferred _Lady Chatterley’s Lover_.’

‘ _I_ think you’d be better with _Crime and Punishment_ ,’ Peter retorted, but he was smiling.

‘So,’ Neal said, smiling innocently, ‘who’s first?’

Peter reached behind him and produced a worryingly thick text-book. ‘That would be me,’ he commented, smiling wickedly.

Diana laughed. ‘Oh, this is going to be fun.’


End file.
